Sake and Shōchū
by Anbu-chan
Summary: "What the hell am I doing?" She slurred over her sake cup. "I did not waste so many years of my life trying to surpass Tsunade only to become a lonely housewife while Sasuke gallivants across the countries singing the songs of his angst!" A chance encounter over sake and shōchū has Sakura taking her future into her own hands, and Kakashi is somehow dragged along for the ride.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: hi. another story for you all. This one's just a feel good, everything right with the world AU divergence at chapter 699 of Naruto. read: where Kakashi finally gets that happy ending he's been needing since day one. Enjoy my lovelies :)

I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Sakura raised the cup up to her lips and hiccuped, but it did not deter her from downing all the contents in it. Her cheeks were a rosy color, and Kakashi thought she looked lovely despite the noticeable clash of red with her pink hair. She swayed slightly, and he was thankful that she had sat so close. That made catching her easier, if she ever fell. Not that Kakashi wouldn't go greater distances. He'd fight Kaguya a thousand times over again. For Team 7. But, especially for her.

She hiccuped again, and he couldn't help but shake his head. The rest of the Konoha 12 and their remaining sensei had excused themselves long ago, leaving only the two of them left in the sake house, and Sakura was well on her way to being completely plastered. It would seem she had inherited more than her Yin Seal from Tsunade. "Maa, Sakura-chan, you know it's indecent to be so drunk in public," he said, watching her keenly, hoping to get a response out of her, maybe another pleasant flush along the apples of her cheeks. What he got was very different.

She turned to him, a strange fire in her eyes. "Kakashi, what the hell am I doing?"

Sakura was slurring her words by then, waving her sake cup in the air. "I mean, really. I have worked so hard to become what I am today and he doesn't even appreciate it! Its been years since we were genin, but he acts like he's got it in the bag! I am no trophy, really, and I did_ not_ waste so many years of my life trying to surpass Tsunade only to become a lonely housewife while Sasuke gallivants across the country singing the songs of his angst!"

Kakashi, who sipped daintily at his sake, nearly choked. He couldn't help but guffaw at her, as she pouted on her stool.

"What?" She asked defensively, arms crossed over her chest in defiance.

"Nothing, Sakura," he says, forgoing the suffix. He wondered briefly when she stopped calling him sensei, _oh, that's right, after the war, _and decided to return the favor. It was about time, anyway.

"I'm just glad you're finally seeing what we've all been seeing."

"What?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes in a good natured fashion. "For the brightest and best kunoichi in the world, you sure don't seem to connect the dots." Ignoring her loud protest, he went on. "You've been chasing after Sasuke for so long. He's your teammate, yes, but he'll never give you what you want."

And while Kakashi wasn't sure exactly what it was that Sakura wanted, he was sure that it was more than the empty corridors of the Uchiha Compound and raising children all alone, while her husband was more often than not a couple of weeks' travel away. No. Sakura belonged somewhere else, in a warm house filled with sunlight and surrounded by her children, with a man to give her what she needed, even though she was plenty capable of getting it all herself. Seeing her lost expression, Kakashi tried to condense his thoughts into something more tangible.

"You deserve better, Sakura." Plain and simple.

"Oh," was all she could muster, the hazy cloud of alcohol receding from her eyes just slightly.

"Yeah, oh," Kakashi said, knocking shoulders with her, careful not to tip her over. She had her head bowed, fingers fisted into her red shirt. Kakashi continued to nurse his sake cup, until she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Huh," was all she said behind a wide yawn. Fighting the urge to follow her example, Kakashi just chuckled. Placing an arm around her, he lifted her off her chair and cradled her close. Her head lolled to his chest and he let out a puff of laughter. "Let's get you home, now."

All he got back was a grumbled response. He carried her down Tea Avenue and towards her home. Konoha was being built around them, slowly but surely. With Tenzō eager to be back on his feet, the building process would surely progress exponentially, but all that in due time. The streets were the same at least, and it made navigating easy, after walking them and wearing them down for years.

Quick to disarm the traps at her window, Kakashi set the kunoichi on the bed and removed her shoes. He tucked her in and left water and a note, with his signature henohenomoheji. Leaving everything untouched except the bed with the sleeping woman in it, Kakashi returned to his own abode, unable to wipe the small smile off his face.

* * *

Only a few days later, there was a knock on his door. Kakashi figured it could only be one of a very select few individuals who would bother him around midday. That knock was certainly too polite to be Naruto, that was for sure.

He opened the door and looked down at a head of pink. "Maa, what brings you here so early, Sakura?"

The woman in question deadpanned. "It's half past noon, Kakashi. Come on," she gestured. "Let's spar."

Unwilling to decline an easy opportunity to get some exercise in, Kakashi placed his beloved book down and followed her out, slouching into himself. She eyed him from the side.

"Such a good shinobI. You have the worst posture I have ever seen, you're going to fold in half one day."

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Gotta keep up appearances, you know? How else will I scare away the crows?"

Sakura laughs and it is a bright sound, tinkling like bells. "Our resident scarecrow. Whatever would we do without you?"

"Starve. I keep the crops nice and fat, especially this time of year."

The two of them walked side by side, leaving the shinobi residential area and heading for the outskirts of the newly created valley, courtesy of Pein himself. Picking a simple training ground, one similar enough to their old one that it created a small sense of nostalgia, they began to circle each other.

Kakashi had years on Sakura, and that made him much more patient. She, on the other hand, was still filled with the restless energy of someone in their youth, as Gai would say, and she made the first move. Leaping at him, she careened forward with her fists ahead of her. God, those fists were terrifying. The two of them parried blows, making for a brisk but fun pace. Sakura had enough air to talk to him, at least.

"Thanks, by the way. You know, for carrying me home when I knocked out," she said between quick breaths and a sharp jab of punches in his direction.

"It was nothing," he replied, but he continued on, curious. "Do you remember last night?"

Sakura stopped, quickly stretching out her left knee before leaping back at him again, fist outstretched. He dodged it.

"Yeah, I did. Thanks for bringing me home," she said, continuing her assault on him, not letting up. He grunted in reply, too busy trying to play keep away. The two of them went on for close to two hours, keeping the fight simple; hand to hand combat, with no chakra. It strained their muscles and prevented the fight from getting repetitive, lest one of them exploit the others' default pattern.

Sakura voluntarily tapped out and fell to the ground with a gasp, limbs flopping and chest heaving with strain. Her entire body glistened with sweat and she was sure that Kakashi fared no better. He had the advantage of raw strength and a farther reach, but she was incredibly fast and quick to dodge. They were rather evenly matched when it came to taijutsu, although Sakura was sure that if ninjutsu came into play, it would've been a very different outcome.

"You're right," she said, out of the blue.

Kakashi quirked one of his eyebrows. "Am I?"

"Yeah," she breathed, still staring up at the sky. "I deserve better. I'm no housewife. I'm no matriarch. I'm sure I could be, but would it matter if he doesnt love me? Sure, Sasuke would love me, but never in the way I want."

She rolled into her stomach, staring at him with those green eyes of hers. "Thanks, Kakashi. Not just for this, for everything."

And Kakashi had to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. He nodded, not trusting his voice to stay that aloof indifference he had perfected so long ago. He didn't feel like he had done much for her, especially when she had been young. While she had been his best behaved student, he spent his time and energy on the boys, leaving her to her own defenses. But, that was the past, and if he learned only _one _thing from the most recent war, it was that the past should stay where it belonged: in the past. So he accepted her gratitude, and moved on.

"Maa, the war has made us all soft and emotional, Sakura-chan! That's usually Naruto's job."

Sakura snorted, looking at him from the pillow she made with her arms. "Naruto is running around like a headless chicken these days. Tsunade has him playing the role of diplomat, and when he's not doing that, he's with Hinata or training with Sasuke."

Kakashi observed the way she deflated a little at the end of the sentence. She and Naruto had been attached at the hip before the start of the war, before Naruto had to be taken to Genbu for his and Killer B's protection. He knew she must miss him, Kakashi missed him, too. The loud voice and Tuesday night ramen, sitting at the stall until the lampposts turned on and the stars twinkled. And Sasuke. Sasuke who, when not on house arrest, often went with Naruto. It seemed as if the last Uchiha couldn't even find it in him to stay in the village for more than a few weeks at a time, and while he and Naruto had that freedom to leave the village, the remaining members of Team Seven did not. Kakashi stayed in the village because there was talk, talk of new Hokage nominations among the jōnin, and he was needed to help stabilize the village in case of another attack. It was incredibly unlikely, but Konoha was freshly off the battlefield and riddled with wounds that only time would heal. He was needed to defend. And Sakura, she single handedly ran the Konoha hospital, taking care of shinobi and civilian alike. She couldn't afford to leave the village, even if Shizune helped. She had surpassed Tsunade, and it showed. But it wore at her, Kakashi knew that. Her whole shinobi career had been one disaster after the other. Wave, the chūnin exams, Sasuke, Naruto, Akatsuki and the War. She was used to going, going, going, and being kept in the village made her restless, when her teammates all seemed to be busy with their lives.

Sai was now managing the rehabilitation process for former Root agents, and it kept him very busy. Tenzō was still in the hospital, well on his way to recovering from the control of the White Zetsu's. Last time he visited, the man was leaning on Sakura, walking around the room with a cheerful smile on his face. And as for the rest of Rookie 9, well, they were keeping busy. Notably, Ino took over her father's position as head of the Intelligence Division, and Shikamaru was preparing for the mantle of Jōnin Commander. Chōji was another budding diplomat, and Hinata Hyūga descended upon her clan with a vengeance, quickly eradicating the main and branch families, unwilling to forget the memory of her cousin, Neji. Kakashi wasn't really sure what had happened to the rest of Team 8, but he knew Rock Lee spent much of his days by Gai's side, or helping Tenten plan for her new weapons shop. Everyone was busy. Despite the life that was lost, wars always made life bustle.

"I guess we hadn't met our quota for snappiness this month yet, but I think we covered it! C'mon Sakura, let's move, doesn't matter where, you're just starting to burn," he said, poking at the reddening skin on her shoulders. She startled at the touch and laughed, hoisting herself up, and holding a hand out to him.

"Hungry?" She asked him, laughing at the noise his stomach made.

"Yes," he sniffed, holding his hands to his stomach defensively. He began to walk away, leaving the training grounds and heading back towards the center of town. That's where all the food was.

"I can tell," she called, racing to catch up with him. Kakashi spared a glance down at her, only to see the top of her pink head. She came right up to his shoulder, when she wasn't wearing her heeled sandals. Sometimes he forgot how tall he was, when he wasn't slouching.

"Let's get something from the vendors, my treat," he said. That made her look up at him, eyes full of suspicion. "You won't foist the bill off to me, cheapskate?"

He pretended to be mortally wounded, clutching at his heart. "Oh, Sakura, your lack of faith in me hurts!" He cried.

"Okay, alright sensei," she laughed at him. "You're in the middle of the road, you're blocking people's ways. Stop being such a drama queen, that's Sasuke's job."

The two laughed again, and he didn't pay too much attention to the way Sakura's hand never left his arm. Instead, it was tucked neatly into the crook of his elbow, fitting quite nicely. Of course, he had seen Sakura do this with Ino many times, so he wouldn't overthink it. He had spent many years thinking about 'what ifs' and different outcomes, looking for a wisp of Rin, a glimpse of Obito, a shadow of his Sensei, and denying the ghost of his father. None of it ever did him any good. Instead, he had made his decisions to let it all be. It was all very nice, in its' simplicity, anyway.

The two of them waved 'hello' to Mitarashi Anko, who was munching on a plate of her namesake, paying the way she eyed them no mind, and ordered kakigōri. The shaved ice would be refreshing after their training session. Instead, they went to the bridge Team 7 always used to go to, and enjoyed their treat together. Kakashi still wouldn't let her see underneath the mask, but for once, she wasn't looking. The wind rustled through the trees. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough.

* * *

A/N; and that's a wrap folks! please review :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:hehe im avoiding all responsibilities and writing this chapter for you all. I don't own Naruto, enjoy!

* * *

The next time, Kakashi sought Sakura out. She looked harried when he went to visit her, covered in an apron and looking over a medical chart, ordering nurses around. Kakashi leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for her to be done. When she caught sight of him, she smiled in a way that made her eyes bright and Kakashi couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at him like that. He waved, eyes crinkling to show his amusement, and motioned for her to keep doing what she was doing. He would wait.

When she finished writing, she handed the chart over to another nurse, who looked at the two of them curiously over the front desk.

"I never thought I'd see you in the hospital voluntarily. What brings you here?" She asked, looking at him with equal parts amusement and concern. Her gaze roved over him, almost as if looking for wounds on his person.

"Nothing," he waved her concern off, pushing off the wall. "I wanted to know if you were free to get lunch. They definitely don't feed you well enough here," he told her, with a smile. "In fact, I would say they may be trying to slowly poison us all, but that is pretty counterproductive for a hospital."

Sakura laughed, shaking her head. "The food isn't _that _bad. Of course, I'll get lunch with you," she said, with that same twinkle in her eye.

"It's not bad, she says, but she won't eat it."

She deftly ignored him, fighting to hide her amusement.

"Setsuko-san, I'm calling in my lunch break!"

A woman with dark hair and glasses nodded at the pink haired woman and responded with a smile and a "Hai, Sakura-sama! Take your time, we've got things covered here."

She nodded and led the way out of the hospital, taking them to the same center where they had been just a few, short days ago.

He watched as she ordered onigiri with umeboshi, already aware of her love of pickled foods. He ordered grilled eggplant, and Sakura blinked at him. "I didn't know you liked eggplant," she said.

He shrugged. "There's a lot you don't know about me," and he winked, the gesture finally not lost on anybody, with both his eyes visible.

She observed him seriously, despite his joke. It was true, though, she didn't know very much about her former sensei. She knew about the tragedies that befell him, but most of it was here say, and she never would've known about Obito if the man hadn't outright attacked the Shinobi Nations. She knew about the White Fang, but who was his mother? What did Kakashi do when he wasn't shuffling around the village? Was he happy? She had many questions.

Kakashi could see the cogs in her brain going and said, "Sakura, don't think too much of it, seriously. You're going to short circuit, there."

She rolled her eyes and took another large bite of the compact rice ball. Chewing it, she looked up ahead and nudged him. He looked to where she pointed and he couldn't help the way his smile made his eyes turn to crescent moons.

Sai was down the road listening intently as Ino arranged the flowers in front of the family shop. She pointed to certain species of flowers and Sai would sketch something onto his drawing pad, a far too serious expression on his face.

"They're quite the pair, huh?" Sakura whispered conspiratorially to him, her breath just brushing his ear as he leaned down. He couldn't speak for a moment, so he settled for nodding his head. "Ino is doing more of the wooing than Sai is, but he's giving it his best shot. Did you know he came to me the other week and asked if I liked chocolate? He said he read it in a book that girls like chocolate, but you know Ino. I told him to paint her something instead."

Kakashi listened, but he had his eyes on Sakura's face the whole time. He didn't even notice when they had walked over to the Yamanaka shop, until Ino began talking.

"Forehead! I thought you were working today!" She greeted, and Sai gave them a smile that was much warmer than what it used to be.

"Kakashi," he said. "Ugly."

Sakura brushed the comment off, far too used to her teammate to be insulted by the nickname. Kakashi looked over at the pinkette briefly, sneaking in a glance, and wondered for the nth time what Sai was talking about.

"Hey, Pig. I'm on a break right now, we just got lunch by Tea Avenue. Everyone's been so busy. I haven't seen any of you since our last get together."

Ino's gaze flickered between the two, something Kakashi did not miss, and she grinned impishly. "And you were plastered, Forehead. I thought Lady Tsunade taught you to hold your drink better than that!"

Her brow ticking, the pink haired woman said, "So what if I can't? I'm not her carbon copy, I don't like sake for breakfast."

"Suit yourself," she said, turning back to the flowers. "The best way to avoid a hangover is to have just a little bit more sake."

Sakura laughed. "Not the best advice from a medic, Ino-Pig."

"I'm more of a florist than a medic anyway," she said, stroking the leaves of one of the flowers.

"You're right," Sakura relented. "These are beautiful, Ino. Did you grow these in the greenhouse?"

She nodded. "Me and Mom have been using the seeds that Dad engineered a while ago. They turned out perfectly." A sad look crossed her face, but it vanished when Sai's hand brushed against Ino's.

Kakashi picked up a simple daisy from the colorful buckets of cut flowers and twirled it in his hands. Humming to himself, unable to control the urge, he turned to Sakura who was looking at the flowers herself with a fond gaze. He reached over and tucked her curtain of hair away from her face with a soft touch, and placed the daisy behind her ear. Sakura blushed a pink to match her carnation colored hair, and he smiled, truly this time. "There," he said with a touch of finality.

Sai was watching the interaction in confusion and Ino was trying her best not to gape at the two. Kakashi saw their expressions, and chuckled deep in his chest. Pulling out ryō and tossing it to Ino, who caught it with a slight tumble, he put his arm around Sakura's shoulders and steered her away. Waving back to them, he cheerfully said, "Bye Sai, Ino-chan!"

And as they walked back to the hospital, he saw from the corner of his eye the soft look that bloomed across her face, her hand coming up to touch the daisy and his, never leaving her shoulders.

* * *

A week passed, and then two turned to three. Every day, even if she didn't see him, Sakura knew Kakashi had been by. She knew of course, because of the flowers he left at her work desk, or on her windowsill by the kitchen, or by her door. The nurses began to giggle whenever they saw the pink haired kunoichi leave her office with a flower in her hands.

An aster, a carnation, a lily, forget-me-nots, a peony, a sunflower. _Patience. Admiration. Purity. Bashful. Adoration. Dedication._

Sakura was sure that the man didn't know a single thing about flower meanings, but each time she discovered one waiting for her, she couldn't hold the smile that grew on her face.

"Another one, eh Sakura-san?" Asked one of the senior nurses who had seen the woman grow from a quiet genin to the woman she was today. She laughed and tucked this one behind her hair, a beautiful blue cornflower that contrasted with her hair in a way that demanded a second, third, even a fourth glance.

She smiled, still unable to hide the blush, and went on in to one of the patient rooms. Everyone shared a glance, and the gossip that Sakura-san just got _another _flower would be churning in the mill very soon. For some reason, her best friend Yamanaka Ino remained rather tight lipped about where the flowers were coming from.

"Hi, Yamato," said Sakura as she entered. The man perked up and put his book down, a pleasant smile on his face. His eyes trailed to the flower behind her ear, and his smile grew impish. "Don't you look lovely as ever, Sakura-chan."

She laughed and shook her head. "Now, don't you start on me, too Yamato. The village is practically up in arms, and they're just flowers!"

Yamato shook his head, disbelieving, because while they were just flowers, Sakura was easily one of the strongest kunoichi in the entire Shinobi Nations, and that made her one of the most sought out after women, as well. He knew that foreign dignitaries didn't stop by Konoha _just_ to see the medical prowess of the oldest Shinobi village. He knew that even Gaara, the current Kazekage had had a crush on the woman. He wondered if she even knew about it, but considering as Naruto was her teammate, she probably didn't. Speaking of which…

"Does Naruto know?"

She scrunched her nose up. "Naruto doesn't need to know about everything I do, he's not my keeper. Plus, he's been on that trip for two months now, I have no idea when he's coming back, and Shishō never gave him a deadline."

Yamato shook his head. "That might be for the better, for now at least." He knew what Naruto could do, especially to an innocent boy trying to date his only female teammate. He wondered who it could be, but brushed it off. "Come on, let's get me out of this bed! I'm itching to do something!"

Sakura laughed, and helped pull him up, handing the crutches over. "Alright, already! Here, we'll use these today and see how you feel. You'll be out of here in no time."

* * *

A/N: if you liked it, give it a follow and leave some love in the form of a review!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: ALL THIS FEEDBACK! thank you to: Vetla12, kazuyaryo, Aflaiya, Guest, Krazykat16, AngelAmongTheStars, CelticSpring, fanofthisfiction, MHatake1, awkfoodie, and Red Reaper88 for** all** the love and support! its feel good inc around here nowadays. Enjoy this while I stress over exams :) I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Konoha was beautiful in the morning, when there was still dew left on the grass and everything was still cool. Kakashi was walking along the Naka river, his pack trotting around him,

He meandered along, ignoring the questioning looks he got from them. This wasn't their usual morning walk. Instead, Kakashi led them to a field, where the dogs ran off into the tall grass. He let out a small laugh when Bisuke made it his job to catch all the grasshoppers he laid eyes on. Only Pakkun stayed with him, looking at him with an intelligent gaze. "What's this about, Kakashi?"

The man in question just smiled, and leaned down to look at the grass. When he found what he was looking for he reached out and picked it up. He had plucked a rather pretty white daisy, with a fat yellow center. "This will do," he said with a smile.

Pakkun was very much used to his weird master, having seen him grow through most of the years of his life. He simply let out a low howl that had the rest of the pack returning, leaping high over the tall plants in the field. Kakashi wiped away some burrs that had stuck to Guruko's vest, and began leading them away from the meadow and back into town.

He walked into the residential area, on the other side of town. They stopped in front of a small house, one that appeared to have just been rebuilt after Pein's Assault. One of the dogs whined, and Pakkun sniffed the air, sending him a curious look.

He knocked on the door and smiled when it opened, showing off Sakura in her blue skirt and mint green t-shirt. "Kakashi!" She exclaimed happily, before looking at the brood of dogs by his feet. "You brought everyone," she said as she knelt down to greet them. They eagerly crowded around her, looking for her attention and she laughed. "What brings you all here?"

He held out his hand, presenting to her the flower. Her eyes softened in that way that made his stomach do somersaults and she took it from him, stepping away from the door and inviting them I to the kitchen. "Come on, boys."

She placed the daisy with the other flowers in a small, teal glass vase. There were lily of the valleys and snapdragons and even an orange foxglove that made her think of Naruto and the daisy fit right in. Kakashi smiled, and his dogs observed the bouquet already there in interest. "That's why you always smell like you went to Yamanaka's shop," grumbled Pakkun quietly.

"Today's your day off," he said, meaning it almost as a statement. He was beginning to memorize her schedule after two, nearly three months, and she didn't mind. "Yes," she said, pulling a chair out for him to sit in and he did. She set down a plate of chilled hiyayakko in front of him and started cutting persimmons. He took a bite of the tofu, noting how she no longer seemed interested in his face, and he was almost surprised. The two of them spent so much time together, during and after the war, that she respected him too much to even think of looking. But, now he wanted her to see him.

"You can look, Sakura. I trust you."

She slowly lifted her eyes and her eyes soaked in his face, flitting from the straight line of his nose, to the beauty mark on his chin to the pale skin of his lower face that never saw the sun. A smile spread on her face gradually, and she returned to cutting the fruit, sneaking a slice occasionally to Shiba who gave her the puppy dog look. Her response was rather anticlimactic.

"What?" Kakashi asked her, after a minute and she still had that strange smile on her face, a mixture of dizzy, victorious and sly.

"Naruto and Sasuke owe me big time."

He quirked an eyebrow at her and she elaborated. "We all made a bet when we were genin about what you looked like under your mask. Naruto thought you had buck teeth and Sasuke thought you had tiny lips."

"And you?" He prodded.

"I thought you were going to be attractive under that mask of yours. It looks like I'm right."

And she let his wide smile dazzle her once more before she went back to her task.

* * *

Ino was lounging on her sofa in a skirt and loose crop top. Sakura was fairing no better, her hair tied up and away from her neck, in shorts and a flimsy tank top.

"It's too hot," Ino groaned, and Sakura hummed her reply, fanning herself with a uchiwa fan. Summers in Konoha were balmy at best and scorching at worst. Today was one of those muggy, oppressively hot days.

There was a knock at the door and the two girls looked at each other before Sakura got up and walked to the door. When she opened it, Shikamaru was standing there holding a shogi board and Kiba was behind him, grinning and holding up a box of beer.

"Hey guys," she said, letting them in. Kiba explained to her in his growling baritone that, "Ino said you guys would be here today, and we came for a visit."

She nodded. "I'll make us something then, will anyone else be stopping by?"

Shikamaru sat down at the low table, placing the the board down, and setting up the pieces. "I know that Chōji can't make it, he's helping his mother with the restaurant."

Kiba placed the beer in the fridge and went back to the front door, leaving it open and keeping the screen door open to let the wind in. Akamaru was already sitting down on the woven rug, panting happily despite the heat. "And Hinata has some clan business, like usual."

"If you're not using that fan, gimme, Forehead!"

She tossed the fan to the blonde and stuck out her tongue, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru muttered, looking at his teammate fondly.

She pushed him with her foot, saying, "Temari needs to train that out of you, or I will."

He grumbled, blushing as she mentioned his totally not-girlfriend. "Speaking of which, where is she?" Asked Kiba from where he stood by the shelf, where he was setting up music in the DVD player.

"She's in Iwa, she and Kankurō are delegating with Kurotsuchi."

"Oh yeah," Ino interjected. "She's going to be the new Tsuchikage soon, won't she?"

From the kitchen Sakura said, "Kakashi says the inauguration will be in the fall, something about Iwa tradition." That meant Naruto would be coming home in a few months, before he was off again.

Ino narrowed her eyes and was about to say something, when the door opened again and Tenten walked in with a sunny smile on her face. "Ohayō!"

"Tenten!" Sakura smiled, giving her a hug as she entered the kitchen.

"How's the weapon shop?"

And while Sakura knew the answer would be long-winded, she wanted to know regardless. After Neji's death, the weapons mistress had been sad for months. Only after Lee had suggested the idea did she brighten up and leave her home. Everyone was very thankful for the change, glad to see their beloved friend lively again.

Sakura was placing chicken and scallions on skewers to make yakitori when the door opened again. "Tadaima," called a voice she began to crave hearing. "Okaeri!" She responded, over the greetings. No one commented on the familiarity, but it was noted. A flood of dogs came bounding in, Bull holding her steady while the rest of them piled up on her.

"Ack, no you can't have this!" She cried, holding the chicken high in the air and away from eight panting, hungry mouths. "Off you go, go with Akamaru, you'll get your own food later." They all reluctantly but dutifully left one by one, and Kakashi was left waiting for her, with a bottle of some type of floral wine in his hand, and daifuku in the other.

"Ohhh," she cooed. "You brought the good stuff!"

"With the strawberries," he confirmed and she took the daifuku from him, placing them on the counter. "You can't have it now," he reminded her as she stared wistfully. Looping one arm under his, she gave him a side hug, leaning in. He leaned in, too, and told her, "Come on, we have more guests."

They walked into the living room which was quickly getting crowded. Gai in his wheelchair and Kurenai, holding a sleeping Mirai stood there with large grins on their faces. The Green Beast of Konoha shouted something unintelligible, what she assumed was a greeting, in his excitement.

"Hello Sakura," said Kurenai, eyes twinkling at the way the pink haired woman eyed her baby. "Here you go," she said, handing the sleeping child into her cradled arms.

Sakura laughed, and gave the woman a kiss on the cheek in greeting. "You know me too well," she said, looking down at Mirai who looked angelic in her sleep. "Sweet thing, you are," she cooed.

Kakashi placed a warm hand on her shoulder and looked down at the two of them. She craned her head up to smile at him, and Kakashi, who had been adrift for a very long time, realized then and there that he had a much better idea of what he wanted from life. "I'll go finish the yakitori," he told her instead, the words thick with emotion and tight in his throat.

If Sakura knew her influence on him, she didn't mention it. She nodded and said, "The sesame seeds are on the left," as if Kakashi needed reminding. The man knew her kitchen just as well as she did by that point.

By then, Ino had corralled all the boys into the yard, making Shikamaru take his board game outside, where Gai enthusiastically took up the challenge, claiming if he did not beat him he would wheel around Konoha three thousand times. Kiba was sipping on beer, placing the watermelon in a tin barrel and filling it with cold water. Occasionally he'd spray the water and watch the dogs yip and snap at the stream coming from the hose. From inside the house, they could hear Tenten scolding all of them to put on sunscreen, who carried a bottle of it in her hands.

Kurenai, though, had seen the interaction between the two and had a knowing look on her face. When she caught Sakura's gaze, she held it with a smile and a tinkling laugh that only grew when the younger woman's face burst out in a blush.

"Ah, I remember those days," she said, bringing in Sakura as if she were telling a secret. "I would give you advice, but it seems you're doing rather well on your own!"

Sakura grinned sheepishly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure," said Kurenai nonchalantly. "Come on, let's get Mirai settled, her nap isn't over yet."

Sakura sat down on the floor, settling in and she chanced a brief look over her shoulder, guffawing quietly, conscious of the little girl in her arms. Kakashi was successful in making the yakitori, but there were sesame seeds and streaks of sauce in his hair and he wore her yellow apron covered in leaping kitsune on it without chagrin. She followed him with her eyes as he went out the back to the grill. She was unable to hear what he said, but she could certainly hear Gai.

"My eternal rival looks so trendy and hip in his apron! Oh, the springtime of youth!"

Sakura laughed. This was how she wanted things to be, forever and always.

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A/N: love u guys, please leave a review and see you all in the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: hello you beautiful people! another chapter! Thank you SO MUCH for every review, follow and favorite, it makes my heart warm. enjoy this next chapter, and keep your eyes peeled for a new Sakura-centric story from me, I've got a lot of ideas bouncing around my head and time to finally consider them. I don't own Naruto, enjoy!

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When Sakura didn't arrive on time, Kakashi began to worry. She would be out of her shift at the hospital by then, he was sure of it. Regardless, he checked the piece of paper on his wall that had her schedule detailed out. Yes, she was done with work by then, and Sakura was the exact opposite of Kakashi in terms of tardiness. She was _always_ on time.

Her home was dark, and when Kakashi called, nobody answered. He checked her bedroom first, and didn't find her there, but the light on in the bathroom queued him to where she was. The blood covering her scared him, at first. There was just _so much of it._ His heart felt as though it had stopped beating until he scented the air. It wasn't hers. Relief flooded him immediately.

Kneeling down, he pressed a hand onto her shoulder, where there were was no blood drying and crusting over.

"Sakura, are you okay?"

She didn't answer him at first, and he called her name again. Finally, she lifted her head and looked up at him. Her eyes were wet and red-rimmed, her emerald irises standing stark against the bloody color. Kakashi felt his heart sink in his chest when another tear fell down her cheek and dripped off her chin to patter quietly on the floor.

"Come here," he whispered, holding his arms out for her, and she readily complied, falling into them. She cried and cried for what felt like it could've been years. Kakashi had never been good with emotions, but for her, he would do his best. When her sobs trickled down to soft hiccups, he pulled away slightly.

"What happened?"

She shook her head, still trembling. "I-I lost a patient. It was a stillbirth. The mother didn't make it, no matter what we did."

He rubbed her back, holding her close and rocking her. "Sometimes, there is nothing we can do. I know you don't want to hear that; you are the best medic in the Shinobi Nations, but sometimes life has different plans. You can't heal the whole world."

"I can try," she croaked.

He shook his head. "I know, and you always do your best, but you can't be upset with yourself when these things happen. It's okay."

And they both knew it would be okay, but she needed to feel for now. Despite the time passed, the war and its' losses were still fresh in their minds, and only more time and moving on would fix that. He helped her clean up and got up, running to the kitchen to get her her mint ice cream. The two of them laid on her bed, and she scooped up mouthfuls of the treat, offering every other spoonful to him, beginning to relax. When she fell asleep, boneless and spoon in hand, Kakashi chuckled and picked it up. Returning, he curled around her on the bed, and let her smell wash over him. He fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

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"Sakura," called Kakashi from the living room. She looked over her shoulder to face the man who was on her couch, his dogs sprawled around him. His attention was fixated on a scroll in front of him, the TV on a low volume in the background.

"Yes?"

He looked up at her and his expression was serious. "Tsunade is stepping down. They want me to be Hokage."

Sakura carefully placed her knife down and wiped her hands off of a towel. She had had a feeling, especially with the way Tsunade's eyes grew tired and she spoke as if being Hokage was a thing of the past, but her Shishō had yet to tell her anything to confirm it. "That's fantastic news, Kakashi!" She said, going over to him to look at the official document. And it was, really, because maybe this would allow Kakashi the chance to finally breathe. Going from a child soldier in war to ANBU, and living through even more conflict had to be tiring.

"I don't want it."

And he didn't, really, because he had seen one too many comrades brought home in matchboxes. He didn't want to be the one, sending trusting soldiers off to deaths they weren't expecting, weren't ready for. Sakura sighed softly and placed a hand on his shoulder, sitting on the arm of the sofa. "You're more than qualified, if that's what you're worried about."

He shook his head and dropped it into his hands. "I've done terrible things. They called me Nakamagoroshi no Kakashi, did you know that?"

She did know that, hiding her subtle wince, believing it a moniker to be entirely uncalled for. "The Third did many bad things, and he is still loved in this village. He sat by passively while Orochimaru illegally experimented on children, Danzō condemned a young man and his family to death, and let Naruto fall through the cracks of this villages' orphan system."

She took his head and held it, making him look her in the eyes. "Kakashi. You are the most talented, dedicated, caring man I know. You may not show it well. You may be constantly late, you may slouch and read porn in public, yes. But you never, never abandon your teammates and you will do the same for this village that has chewed you up and spir you out more times than you can count. You can do this, I am so sure."

He searched her face for what felt like hours, becauae maybe it was, before a small smile cracked his cold expression. He caressed the hands on his face and turned back to the document. "How is it that you make these things so easy?"

She leaned over and pressed a kiss into his unruly grey hair and shrugged. "I don't know, maybe I've spent too much time around Naruto and picked up on his talk-no-jutsu."

He shooed her off back to the kitchen, and Bull, who had taken quite the liking to Sakura followed at a slow pace. Pakkun glanced him and huffed. Kakashi had the feeling it had less to do with that and more to do with the kunoichi humming a popular song on the radio in the other room.

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A/N: and thats a wrap! leave some love for me with a review. Until the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: hi lovelies, thank you SO MUCH for all the love this story has received. Please enjoy this new chapter full of fluff. I do not own Naruto.

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The day was long. She treated colds, over enthusiastic genin with shuriken, had a meeting with Sai and T&I's Ibiki about treating shinobi with PTSD, delivered three babies and completed two surgeries. She was worn out by the time she hung up her white lab coat and left the hospital. She trudged her way to her house and was surprised to see the lights on and the windows open, letting the breeze in the house. She felt herself smile, despite the tiredness that clung to her like shadows.

She opened the door and called out her usual greeting, already sure of who it was. Kakashi called back and she impatiently removed her shoes, putting her heeled sandals next to much bigger ones.

She sniffed the air, curiously peering past his shoulder at the stove. "Oooh, chāhan!"

He laughed at her enthusiastic response, and pushed her away. "Go, wash up. This will be done soon, I've got it taken care of!"

She nodded and said, "Hey boys!" to the eight dogs in her living room, getting barks in return before she disappeared into the house. The sound of the shower turning on let Kakashi know how much time he would have to prepare the table. He did his best to set the dishes and plates in an aesthetically pleasing way, and pulled out the peach flavored dessert he bought from the fridge where it was being chilled. He placed a flower at the seat he knew Sakura liked to sit in, and started putting food on the dishes.

She soon returned, smelling like the coconut and vanilla shampoo she liked to use when she wasn't on missions. The smell was comforting, and he pulled the chair out for her to sit. They began eating, and she thanked him readily for making the meal.

She blinked in surprise. "Hakuto jelly? This is expensive, Kakashi. What's the occasion?"

Kakashi saw her curious expression, and cleared his throat, putting his chopsticks down. He felt nervous, suddenly, with his face devoid of a mask and no hitai-ate on his forehead, covering his now normal eye.

"Sakura, I wanted to tell you something." At her encouraging expression, he continued. "I'd like to take you on a date!" He blurted out, feeling like a teenage boy all over again, even though he had never had the time to experience most normal things at that age. In a quieter tone, he said, "You matter to me, Sakura." He knew that sentence was an understatement.

She blinked, and looked between him and the jelly and the dogs. Then, suddenly, she burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that tears formed in the corners of her eyes and Kakashi tried to stop the burning of the skin on his neck.

She took a gasping breath, seeing his disappointment and told him, "Kakashi. I thought we were already dating!"

"Huh?" He asked, completely bewildered.

She shook her head, and got up. She returned to the kitchen with a book he hadn't seen on her shelves yet, one he didn't recognize. "Look," she told him, and he did. She flipped through the pages and Kakashi saw each and every flower he had given her was meticulously pressed with its name carefully printed beside it.

"Flowers are symbols. They have a language of their own. Did you know that?"

At his blank expression, she laughed again. She handed the book over to him to take a closer look. The meanings of the flowers were written in Sakura's neat script under the names.

"Oh," he said, his face coloring again. He chuckled quietly, shaking his head. He stopped flipping through the book suddenly. "Wait, if we've already been dating…"

She nodded. "Well, it's been over six months now." She was pretty sure it was closer to seven or eight months by then, but she hadn't been counting. She laughed again, "I'm glad we're on the same page now, I was wondering when you'd want to meet Mom and Dad."

Kakashi's heart did a little skip in his chest. So she _had_ been wondering when the serious part of the two of them dating would come.

"What about Sasuke?" He asked, in a last ditch effort to let her change her mind, despite the words feeling like acid in his mouth.

"What about him?" She asked. "He has nothing to do with us. I care about him, he's my teammate, but you are the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I want _you, _not him."

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Kakashi couldn't hold back the dizzy grin on his face. "I am the luckiest man in the whole world."

She laughed, and leaned over to kiss his lips. He was warm all over. Into the kiss, she whispered, "I'd go so far as to say I'm in love with you."

When she pulled back, he looked into eyes that were soft green and beautiful like the leaves of Konoha's tallest trees. He whooped loudly, overcome with joy. "Haruno Sakura loves me!" He shouted, standing up from the table with arms thrown victoriously in the air. "I am the _luckiest_ man in the whole world!"

He picked her up from the table, kissed her again and again, holding her bridal style, spinning them around. Her slowly growing hair whipped around them, and Akino nipped at Kakashi's ankles, the rest of the pack barking happily. The house was filled with joyful laughter that lasted long into the night.

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A/N: if any of you noticed, the majority of the scenes in this fanfic involve food and meals, a time where I am often with family or socializing with friends at uni, and this also applied to when I visited my extended family in Europe. Food is a huge part of culture, no matter where you go, and I'm trying to be as accurate as possible with these scenes and scenarios.


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